Torrey Pines Beach, San Diego VIII, California Landscape Painting
2/14/2011 6:47:58 AM
This is one of my favorite views of San Diego. Halfway between Del Mar and the Torrey Pines State Reserve, where Highway 101 passes over the railroad tracks, we have this sweeping panoramic view of the coastal lagoon and the Pacific Ocean. While this painting was done in my studio, I like painting outside and Torrey Pines Beach is one of the local places where I enjoy doing so.
Click to see other paintings of Torrey Pines Beach: Torrey Pines State Beach VI, San Diego 100 (#45), San Diego 100 (#29)
painting en plein air near the Torrey Pines Beach
Torrey Pines Beach, San [...]
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2011 Signature American Watercolor Exhibition Opens Tonight
2/5/2011 10:39:03 AM
The 2011 Signature American Watercolor Exhibition opens tonight in the Janice Griffiths Gallery at the Fallbrook Art Center, Fallbrook, north of San Diego, California. The reception is held in the gallery 5-7pm, February 5.
This is a unique watermedia exhibition where only artists with signature membership in major watercolor societies across the U.S. were invited to enter their works. I am honored that my 2010 painting Road to Kiyomizudera Temple, Kyoto, Japan I was one of 60 works selected by juror Linda Doll to be included in the show, which continues daily through March 27.
San Diego 100 (#83) - Fallbrook
A larger image [...]
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San Diego 100 (#100) - Cielo Vista, California Landscape Painting
12/12/2009 11:16:26 PM
Living and working in San Diego for almost 15 years, I've always been inspired by the scenes and views around me. At first, taking photos was the only way I knew to respond to them.. After learning how to paint in watercolor, it became my main medium for self-expression. So, to me, painting San Diego landscapes was nothing new, at least in the last 4-5 years. But this year, I decided to create 100 new watercolor paintings of this city and its surrounding areas, and title them all "San Diego 100." By taking a closer look at familiar sights and [...]
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San Diego 100 (#99) - La Jolla Coastline, California Landscape Painting
12/12/2009 3:53:08 AM
If you were my friend visiting San Diego for the first time, I'd first take you to Mount Soledad to enjoy a spectacular view of the La Jolla coastline, all the way to Torrey Pines State Beach and beyond. It is breath-taking but that's only one side (north) of the view from the top of this 823-foot mountain. If we look to the east, there's another sweeping view of the hilly inland landscape. San Clemente Canyon is just down below at the foot of the mountain in this direction. The south side of the mountain is a gentler slope. We [...]
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More Paintings of Mission Beach, San Diego, California
12/10/2009 1:05:14 AM
I took an evening walk on the quiet South Mission Beach for the painting I posted yesterday. Inspired by the sight and feel of the sand and water, I made two more pieces. (Please scroll down to see Mission Beach I) Mission Beach, San Diego II Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. (on 9 x 12 in. paper) Mat/Frame: No Purchase: Sold Mission Beach, San Diego I Mission Beach, San Diego I Media: Original watercolor on paper Image Size: 8.25 x 11.5 in. [...]
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San Diego 100 (#98) - Mission Beach, California Landscape Painting
12/9/2009 1:36:16 AM
Who said first "Life is a beach"? Whoever it was, he could have been talking about life enjoyed by residents and visitors in Mission Beach, a small community on a two-mile-long sandbar. There's nothing standing in the way between their cottages and bungalows and the big, blue Pacific Ocean on the west. Mission Bay Park on the east is literally in their backyard. They are also next to Pacific Beach on the north and Ocean Beach on the south. Recently, I walked on the soft sand at the foot of a jetty in South Mission Beach. I was accompanied only by seabirds [...]
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San Diego 100 (#97) - Pauma Valley, California Landscape Painting
12/8/2009 1:57:40 AM
As the autumn air begins to feel wintry, I get cravings for sweet Fuyu persimmons. It's time to head to Pauma Valley for persimmon picking. Situated between Valley Center and Palomar Mountain in the northeast of San Diego, Pauma Valley produces not just my favorite fruit but avocado, citrus, etc. as well on its lush, fertile agricultural land. In this painting, I exaggerated a little in terms of perspective in order to create an illusion as if we were walking down into the valley from a persimmon orchard. But this is exactly the way I remember this idyllic valley being so [...]
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San Diego 100 (#96) - Hotel del Coronado, Interior Painting
12/7/2009 1:37:21 AM
San Diego 100 (#96) - Hotel del Coronado
It's cold outside and there seems to be holiday frenzy everywhere. At a time like this, what could be better than relaxing on a cozy sofa in a warm, quiet room? It'd be fun if we were with good friends. It could be equally enjoyable without company.
Inside the Del, as this historic hotel is locally known, there is a small space with old Victorian decor where we can do just that.
In this painting, an old lady in bright red sweater and lighted Christmas garlands fill the room with the holiday spirit. The true luxury [...]
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San Diego 100 (#95) - Ocean Beach, California Landscape Painting
12/6/2009 1:45:33 AM
Ocean Beach or O.B. as locals call it. The name says it all. This small, laid-back beachfront community features the ocean in the grandest way possible. First there's a pier, the longest concrete pier on the U.S. West Coast. What a view we can have from the end of this, both of the Pacific and of the town. Big waves are constantly pounding the shore that becomes the Sunset Cliffs to the south, and surfers are having a great time. Families are fishing on the pier, people playing on the beach or just enjoying being on the soft sand. Even [...]
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San Diego 100 (#94) - Barrio Logan, California Landscape Painting
12/2/2009 1:45:57 AM
Many immigrants from Mexico started their new lives in America here in this tiny community attached to the south end of downtown San Diego. By 1940 Barrio Logan was one of the largest Mexican-American communities on the West Coast. When we go to a place like Cesar Chavez Park, a grassy waterfront park/playground in Barrio Logan, we can admire a spectacular view of the Coronado Bridge over San Diego Bay. The view of two of San Diego's most famous sights, however, looks more industrial around here than what any tourist may expect to see.
This is a neighborhood that lives, not by [...]
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San Diego 100 (#93) - Christmas, California Landscape Painting
11/30/2009 11:46:05 PM
It is not likely we will have a white Christmas in San Diego, but I can't really say it is not going to happen. It may happen -- only if you go to the mountains and the weather cooperates, that is. Then, Julian would be a perfect place to be. In my San Diego 100 series, I included several scenes of this charming mountain village. In fact, I have painted Julian more frequently than the other locations. In the spirit of the holidays, I did another to add to the series.
May your holidays be merry and bright!
A snowy day [...]
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San Diego 100 (#92) - Hillcrest, California Landscape Painting
11/30/2009 1:24:24 AM
We all belong to a community -- a community of people who share common interests, locality or identity. One has no right to attack another just because they are not in the same community. I, for one, belong to a community of artists. Yesterday, out of the blue, someone emailed me to tell me "there are too many of you artists in the world, and the world does not want to pay for what you make." This kind of senseless and self-centered remark shows clearly this person has a lot to learn about diversity and grow up. Hillcrest is an [...]
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San Diego 100 (#91) - Lake Hodges, California Landscape Painting
11/28/2009 11:53:22 PM
It was a chilly, rainy day today in San Diego. After almost five months of no significant rainfall, it was a big surprise for many who realized now we are in the rainy season. Rain will bring many changes to the landscapes of San Diego, including Lake Hodges, a huge reservoir located between city of San Diego and city of Escondido. Only natural flows and storm runoffs entering this lake, its water level goes up and down, depending on the amount of rain we get. During dry months, there is almost no water in some parts which become mud flats [...]
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San Diego 100 (#90) - Mission Valley, California Landscape Painting
11/28/2009 12:51:20 AM
Mission Valley (SD100-90)
This valley was named after Mission San Diego de Alcala, the first California mission built in 1769. Today Mission Valley is where many locals go for shopping, commute to work, and watch football games at Qualcomm Stadium. Vacationers play golf and stay in many hotels that line along the busy freeway that connects beach communities to the west and inland cities to the east. New condominiums, more shopping malls and office complexes have been built in recent years. This painting is a view from one of the hills on the south side of Mission Valley. It is [...]
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San Diego 100 (#89) - Pacific Beach, California Landscape Painting
11/27/2009 1:32:51 AM
Pacific Beach (SD100-89)
They say "you never know how many friends you have until you rent a house on the beach." There must be many PB (as Pacific Beach is called here) residents who know how true it is. For that reason and others, this beach community is busy and crowded. It seems wildly popular, mainly with young adults, who love bars, boutiques and boardwalk. And, of course, the sun, sand and surf, too. At the end of the street is Crystal Pier (Click here to see Crystal Pier painting). San Diego 100 (#89) - Pacific Beach [...]
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San Diego 100 (#88) - Crystal Pier, Pacific Beach, California Landscape Painting
11/26/2009 12:50:38 AM
Many people think the sound of rain is relaxing. Songs of birds or even whales are soothing. But I think people will agree that the rhythmic sound of ocean waves, among others, is probably the most calming and comforting. Crystal Pier at Pacific Beach is where it is possible to fall asleep, feeling and listening to the waves gently crashing all night. These quaint-looking cottages on the pier are actual hotel rooms that are popular with vacationers.
San Diego 100 (#88) - Crystal Pier, Pacific Beach Click here for an enlarged view of this painting.
Media: Original watercolor on [...]
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San Diego 100 (#49) - Mission Bay, California Landscape Painting
11/25/2009 1:14:23 AM
Mission Bay (SD100-49)
Sunset time is the best time to be in the Mission Bay Park -- at least for me. When most of the boats have come back to be moored for the night, the quietness returns to this marina. I was painting here a few hours before and I heard boats coming and going, children running in the park, seagulls chattering, and even occasional cries of a sea lion. Now everything is gone. The stillness of water tells me it is time for me to go home, too.
Marina Village, Mission Bay Park San Diego [...]
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Balboa Park December Nights III, California Landscape Painting
11/24/2009 1:40:30 AM
It is a magical moment when a day under the cloudless California sky slowly gives way to night. Seeing it is a surreal experience, but painting it is even more gratifying. I feel thankful for beautiful nature around us and for being able to paint it every day. Moving a little bit closer to the California Tower, I painted the same scene at Balboa Park as yesterday (see yesterday's post). Just as the sun sets behind the scene, people start gathering for one big holiday celebration called December Nights on the first weekend in December, a tradition for many people [...]
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San Diego 100 (#87) - December Nights (Balboa Park), California Landscape Painting
11/23/2009 12:21:53 AM
"December Nights" has been a holiday tradition in San Diego for many years. On the first weekend in December, the largest community festival takes place in the historic Balboa Park. Seen from the other end of the Promenade, the California Tower and other exquisite Spanish-Renaissance-style buildings, together with lush tropical plants and trees, all look silhouetted against the setting sun. That's when the lights start glowing in warm colors and the big party begins. Like tens of thousands of people in San Diego, I look forward to this event to join in the communal holiday celebration. San [...]
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San Diego 100 (#86) - San Marcos, California Landscape Painting
11/20/2009 1:39:36 AM
San Marcos (SD100-86)
The weather in San Diego is pleasant almost all year round, so any day is a good biking day. Although life in Southern California is still highly car-dependent, the extensive bike route system in San Diego helps many who want to go to work by bike or who want to ride for pure enjoyment and a little adventure. I see biking gaining popularity year after year as there seem to be more and more bikers riding, especially on weekend mornings. One Saturday, I spotted a group of bike enthusiasts in colorful jerseys in the San Elijo Hills neighborhood [...]
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San Diego 100 (#82) - Valley Center, California Landscape Painting
11/19/2009 1:09:40 AM
Valley Center (SD100-82)
About an hour north of downtown San Diego, Valley Center is a rural community situated in the middle of a heavily agricultural area. During the month of October, lots of people from all over San Diego take the time to drive there to spend a day at a farm - at a huge pumpkin patch in particular. With hayrides, a maze, a llama ride, a farm animal zoo, a candy store, music, BBQ... there's plenty to enjoy at this farm especially for families with young children. Halloween pumpkins are sold nowadays at any grocery store or in a makeshift [...]
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San Diego 100 (#85) - Rancho Santa Fe, California Landscape Painting
11/18/2009 1:22:27 AM
Rancho Santa Fe (SD100-85)
The downtown area of Rancho Santa Fe is so carefully and elegantly designed it almost looks like a movie set. Restaurants, shops, offices are housed in Spanish hacienda-style buildings. Many have red tile roofs. Several businesses have an ornate wrought-iron sign hanging outside. All of these in the meticulously landscaped surroundings have a cozy village appeal - from somewhere in Spain or south of the border. Because the entire area around here used to be a eucalyptus tree farm (read yesterday's post), many landscaping trees are, of course, tall eucalyptus, which makes soft shadows on any sunny [...]
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Rancho Santa Fe, California Landscape Painting
11/17/2009 2:18:37 AM
Rancho Santa Fe (SD100-23)
Rancho Santa Fe is a small, picturesque community in the suburbs of San Diego. If you come here for the first time, driving through this community will be an experience that'll be hard to forget. One reason may be that the landscape doesn't look like typical Southern California. Winding roads run up and down the rolling hills, by the coastal wetlands, beside golf courses, orchards, a farm (as in this painting)... What makes the landscape particularly unique here is thousands and thousands of eucalyptus trees seen all over. Like in this photo, we literally drive under the eucalyptus [...]
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San Diego 100 (#84) - Del Mar, California Landscape Painting
11/12/2009 1:49:05 AM
Del Mar (SD100-84)
One of the commissions I'm working on right now brought me to this neighborhood in Del Mar a couple of days ago (This painting is not the commission). I enjoy coming to this beach community for its quaint village-like feel. Behind its busy main street is a quiet, upscale residential neighborhood with tree-lined streets, as in this painting.
These towering landscape trees make the place feel almost like a forest. And they are the main characters in today's painting. If I am correct, some of them must be the Torrey pine tree, the rarest pine species in the U.S. A [...]
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San Diego 100 (#83) - Fallbrook, California Landscape Painting
11/7/2009 1:16:05 AM
Fallbrook (SD100-83)
On our way to an inland community of Fallbrook, we often see avocado vendors by the roadside. No wonder, the town proudly holds the title of avocado capital of the world. It's in a rural area north of San Diego, away from freeways, nestled among rolling hills, forests, and, of course, avocado groves.
An isolated, sleepy village you think? If you've never been there, you'd be surprised to find a thriving art community. On the main street are several art galleries, an art school and an impressive art center. They attract many art lovers to town who visit for exhibitions, festivals, [...]
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San Diego 100 (#81) - Poway, California Landscape Painting
10/25/2009 3:51:43 PM
If you think there is a little train buff in you, head inland to Old Poway Park. Although we have Amtrak and a few others, trains are just not so common to see or ride in our everyday life in San Diego. So, it is a real treat to be able to see the vintage 1907 Baldwin No.3 Steam Locomotive up close and in person. It is even more fun to go for a ride as it blows smoke and chugs around the woodsy park. If you don't care too much about trains, Old Poway Park still is a nice [...]
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San Diego 100 (#52) - Julian, California Landscape Painting
10/22/2009 1:29:04 AM
It was a little chilly Sunday afternoon. A group of motorcycle riders arrived in Julian, a small mountain hamlet and a popular weekend getaway, about an hour northeast of San Diego. One by one, they neatly parked their bikes on one side of the main street. Some of them went to explore the town while some lingered to chat. I overheard them, in passing, talking about their next group ride. They share the same passion, get together, exchange ideas, and enjoy the camaraderie. While on the road, they have to deal with bad weather, bugs and all kinds of inconveniences. [...]
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Motorcycle Riders in Julian (San Diego 100 (#48))
10/21/2009 1:29:55 AM
Julian (SD100-48)
Gold-seekers settled and founded the town of Julian in 1869. The gold found here was never much but Julian carries a historic legacy to this day as the only gold-rush town in San Diego. Many old buildings from that era are still standing on both sides of its main street, and the inside of many shops and restaurants looks equally quaint. The apples are today's gold for Julian. Every weekend around this time of the year, this small town is bustled with visitors who come here from near and far to enjoy the atmosphere and eat the famous apple [...]
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San Diego 100 (#80) - Carmel Valley, California Landscape Painting
10/17/2009 4:19:49 AM
Carmel Valley (SD100-80)
Before the current recession hit, rapid population growth added many new local communities in and around San Diego. They literally kept sprouting like mushrooms after the rain. Housing developments were happening no matter where we looked, and sprawling hills, farms or any open space seemed to have been converted very quickly to residential neighborhoods and office compounds. Carmel Valley in the northwestern corner of San Diego has so many new homes built within its boundaries in the last decade or so. I still remember just 12 or 13 years ago much of Carmel Valley was more rustic with horse ranches and farms [...]
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San Diego 100 (#78 and 79) - San Elijo Lagoon, California Landscape Painting
10/16/2009 1:36:19 AM
It is said that as much as 90% of coastal wetlands have disappeared. For one thing, there is housing developments. And then, construction of freeways and railroad, pollution, erosion, new farming practices have brought changes to the original landscapes of San Diego's wetlands. Like Batiquitos Lagoon, just north of here, San Elijo Lagoon is one of the few estuaries that have survived to date. But not without tremendous conservation efforts made by concerned citizens and organizations. Covering more than 1,000 acres, San Elijo Lagoon is truly an oasis in the suburban San Diego. One morning, I had to stop my [...]
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San Diego 100 (#77) - Rainy Day, California Landscape Painting
10/11/2009 8:07:34 PM
When children start thinking about what to wear for Halloween, we know we will soon have the first rainy day in a long time in San Diego. It will be the official start of our rainy season, which will last until spring comes. But this only means we will keep our umbrella in our car "just in case" because it is only a little wetter than the rest of the year. After months of almost no rain, it is always a big surprise when we actually have a wet day sometime in October or November. And we have to look [...]
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San Diego 100 (#10) - Santa Ysabel, California Landscape Painting
9/30/2009 1:26:48 AM
Santa Ysabel (SD100-10)
In San Diego, first signs of autumn appear in and around the mountain region. A quaint hamlet of Julian at 4,235 feet, for example, is crowded every weekend as many people go there to enjoy apple picking and harvest festivals. Santa Ysabel is one of the small towns in San Diego's back country that we pass through on the way to popular mountain destinations such as Julian and Palomar Mountain. But there's no need to ascend in a hurry. If you love painting a back country landscape in its pristine condition, there's a plenty of them near Santa Ysabel. The scenery along the way is astonishingly beautiful [...]
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Torrey Pines Beach, San Diego VI, California Landscape Painting
9/28/2009 1:26:40 AM
Torrey Pines Beach, San Diego VI
Land, water, sky... When I visit the Torrey Pines State Beach, I am struck by an intimate interaction of the three on many occasions. Surfers and beachgoers seem to be careful not to disturb the harmony of the three permanent residents who claim this beach. I hear the soothing music the three play together. In fact, they look to me as one thing. So that's how I painted this coastal scene... land, water and sky as one melodious, flowing entity. I recently painted a few more pieces of this favorite beach of mine, that are included in [...]
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San Diego 100 (#76) - Del Mar Fairgrounds, California Landscape Painting
9/21/2009 1:14:58 AM
While paintings in my San Diego 100 series are in no particular order, what should come right after my #75 (Del Mar Racetrack) has got to be Del Mar Fairgrounds (Click here to view all paintings in San Diego 100). The Racetrack is one of the facilities at the Fairgrounds. In this painting, the grandstand can be seen in the upper right corner. Throughout the year, there always seems to be something going on here, from trade shows to horse racing to private social events, but many San Diego residents almost instantly equate this place with the San Diego County Fair. It [...]
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More Paintings of San Diego Downtown, California
9/20/2009 1:33:26 AM
San Diego Downtown II
As many of you know, I started a new series of San Diego landscapes earlier this year (For more details, please read San Diego 100). It was a bit ambitious of me to plan making one daily painting for this series for 100 consecutive days. Well, I haven't been able to keep that promise because I needed a break sometimes. Also, other things come up, such as commissions and exhibitions, that need equal attention. So it is taking much longer to complete this series, but I am thoroughly enjoying it. I posted my #75 of the series (Del Mar Racetrack) yesterday. [...]
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San Diego 100 (#75) - Del Mar Racetrack, California Landscape Painting
9/19/2009 12:28:17 AM
Bing Crosby opened the gate at Del Mar in 1937. Jimmy Durante, Ava Gardner, Lucille Ball, Desi Arnaz and many others would come down to the Del Mar Racetrack in its early days when it was a popular playground for Hollywood celebrities. Today it is still a huge social event when the summer racing season starts every July (Read more here on its colorful history). In this painting is a paddock area at Del Mar behind the grandstands. I can't imagine what must go on in a jockey's mind when he walks through here with his thoroughbred to the track! We know summer is over when they [...]
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San Diego 100 (#74) - Batiquitos Lagoon, California Landscape Painting
9/18/2009 1:16:36 AM
Batiquitos Lagoon (SD100-74)
While I was walking, enjoying the soft knocking sound of a woodpecker, light filtered through leaves of tall, slender trees stopped me right here on this spot on a trail. It was one of those moments when inspiration strikes and you freeze, or for a painter, you get an instant urge to paint it. Over the years, many of coastal wetlands have disappeared in San Diego and Batiquitos Lagoon is one of the precious few that still remain. Because of the rise and fall of the tides, a salt marsh like this is very rich in nutrients, creating [...]
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San Diego 100 (#73) - Autumn Vineyard, California Landscape Painting
9/17/2009 1:32:15 AM
Autumn Vineyard (SD100-73)
Although the summer weather in San Diego is relatively pleasant, we do have unbearably hot and muggy days occasionally. There was a long stretch of days like that late last month, so I am glad the air has finally started to cool down. When I first moved to Southern California, I missed four distinctive seasons that I had experienced in Japan. But soon I found out that I could go to an inland/mountain region in San Diego's North County to enjoy some of the best things of autumn, my favorite season. A few years ago, I happened upon this family-run vineyard on a [...]
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San Diego 100 (#72) - Leo Carrillo Ranch, California Landscape Painting
9/3/2009 1:35:40 AM
Leo Carrillo Ranch (SD100-72)
At Leo Carrillo Ranch (just north of San Diego), it is easy to go back in time to experience Early California as a ranchero. Both gardens and adobe buildings are meticulously landscaped and maintained. This park creates an oasis of serenity in the midst of new housing developments in surrounding areas. As the name suggests, this used to be a working ranch owned by Leo Carrillo (1880-1961), an actor from Los Angeles known for popular TV series Cisco Kid. An ardent conservationist himself, he purchased this place to protect it from disappearing like so many others built in the Early California-style. Before I start [...]
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San Diego 100 (#71) - Kearny Mesa, California Landscape Painting
9/2/2009 1:26:01 AM
Old cars and a tow truck on a backstreet. They look like they've been here forever. There are small commercial buildings on both sides of the street, and they are old, too, waiting for the economy to turn around. Up in the sky, a thick marine layer is just rolling in from the Pacific, hiding the sun behind it. Well, it has been an awfully hot day. Good thing it's finally cooling off... Drab? Not at all, to me. The moment I saw this view, I felt the urge to stop my car to paint it. But I was not prepared to paint; I was on [...]
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